SEPTEMBER 23 - MACHU PICCHU

First, I'll clear up a minor misconception most of us have about Machu Picchu - the altitude.  Here's some info:
-Cusco altitude:  11,000 feet
-Agua Calientes:   6,700 feet
-Machu Picchu:     7,800 feet
You are more likely to have issues with altitude when you fly into Cusco.

So, today is the big day.  After dinner we had a note from our guide for the next day.  In order to avoid the crowds we were to be at the bus station at 0500.  Groan!
This meant getting up at 0400; and we thought 0430 was early when we were camping.

Up, get going, breakfast at 0430, and off to the bus station, believing we were early.  Ha!  There were hundreds there already.  We stand at the back of the line and are found by Jian, our giude.  We join up with the rest of our group and onto the bus for the twisty trip up the mountain to the site. Its 6 a.m. and the skies are lightening.  Another crush at the gates, but we get in shortly after 0700.

First, we climb up to the guard house toget the classic view of Machu Picchu.  The mountain you see is Wayna Picchu










A closer view of the central plaza from above










The guard house












The western agricultural terraces

A view from the western side showing the terraces and the precipitous drop below

Here's our whole tour group.  The others were a group of young professionals from the eastern US.

And, our leader Jian

The high priest lived in this area (upper centre of photo), residences and the ceremonial baths to the right 









Closer view of the area

















One of the gates to the city.  The photo below shows how it was lined up with Waynu Picchu.




















You can see the hinge points for the wooden gate door.






This is the Sacred Plaza.  You can tell it was an important place because the blocks are all very carefully shaped and close fitted.








A closer  view.  The spaces in the blocks are a result of centuries of foundation settlement.










A wall with 3 windows on the right side of the Sacred Plaza












The corners of this stone are aligned with the 4 cardinal points and the whole stone is in the shape of the Southern Cross









Still near the plaza, this is the Sundial Stone.  It was carved in place.











A view from above of the residential sector, with the industrial sector out of the picture to the right.  The estimates for the number of permanent residents of Machu Picchu range from 500 to 1000








I believe this is taken from in the residential sector.











This building was used for astronomical observation, with the windows aligned with the sun during some of the Solstices or equinoxes.

The main Agricultural Terraces 











The Central Plaza from the east side.  Note the resident lawn mowing crew.











The Central Plaza from the other side.  It has very good acoustics.










Last shot from the Central Plaza, looking towards the Guard House, where the first pictures were taken from.












We're over in the Industrial area now.  These rock bowls were originally thought to be for grinding grain but, when filled with water, the reflections in them were thought to be used for astronomical observations.










You can see Laura's reflection.  Jian showed us a very cool picture he had taken of the moon at night (he didn't explain how he got the shot when you aren't allowed into the site at night).

One of the cleansing showers











A view roughly off to the east.  The views in all directions were magnificent.














One of the few two level houses.











A shot of the city as we get near the exit.














The teaming humanity at the exit and this is the low season.  We were glad we got there early - a lot of our later photos were showing many more people than are in the ones I've shown you.

That's it for  our short tour of Machu Picchu.  It is a very exhilarating and overwhelming experience.  We were told so much in a short time that it is impossible to take it all in in one session.